The ambulance service for Daventry may be put in “financial difficulty” by fines for poor performance – levied by the NHS.

NHS chiefs intend to fine the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) £500,000 because it missed the annual target for reaching enough non-life threatening calls within 19 minutes.

And ambulance services will now be fined every time crews take longer than 30 minutes to become available after arriving with a patient at A&E.

Papers published by NHS Northamptonshire warned that if the total fines reach 
£1 million “it will put EMAS in financial difficulty”.

Moya McVicar, former chairman of the health group watchdog, LINk, said: “I find the situation crazy that an NHS body can take money from another, just because it is struggling.”

An EMAS spokesman said it had been underfunded in the past and ambulance chiefs were lobbying for more funding. She added EMAS had avoided a £500,000 fine after hitting its annual response target for life-threatening calls, the potential effects of which had been of concern to NHS bosses.

A national animal protection charity has called on the public not to go and see a circus using animals which opens today (Wednesday April 24) near Dodford.

The Captive Animals’ Protection Society (CAPS) says the Jolly’s Circus is one of just two remaining that continue to use wild animals in their shows.

The circus performs at Newnham Turn Farm, just off the A45 near Dodford from Wednesday April 24 to Sunday April 28.

CAPS says Jolly’s Circus uses a combination of domestic and wild animals in its show.

Liz Tyson, director of the charity, said: “We are delighted that a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses now appears to be within our reach. Despite this though, there are still some businesses that seem to want to fly the face of public, parliamentary and expert opinion and draw out this dying practice to the bitter end.

“This stubborn refusal to do the right thing is bad for the animals and it is bad for business.

“As all-human shows thrive, those circuses that continue to subject animals to this sad existence are shooting themselves in the foot. Attracting negative press, protests and demonstrations in every town they go to and suffering shrinking audience numbers.

“While the work on the ban continues, it is important that we continue to send the message loud and clear that animals do not belong in the circus. Please vote with your feet and choose an all-human show”.

More than half the cars on one stretch of a main road in Daventry speed according to figures being used to judge 
potential improvements.

Ashby Road has been identified as a ‘dangerous’ road due to the volume of traffic and speeds, and a survey was carried out to get figures to back up residents’ views.

What do you think about the traffic on Ashby Road? Comment below or email us at editorial@daventryexpress.co.uk.

Technology to count vehicles and record their speeds were installed by Northamptonshire County Council highways officers along Ashby Road in Daventry after complaints about the volume of traffic and apparent speeding.

The first sensor was between Burns Road and Daneholme Avenue, while the second was near to the junction with Highlands Drive.

Sensor two recorded 61.3 per cent of vehicles breaking the 30mph limit. While at sensor one, 30.3 per cent broke the limit.

The sensor data shows the southern part of the road is twice as busy as the side north of the rail bridge.

Councillor Chris Long has been campaigning for safety improvements on the road. He said: “I really am pleased that county highways have listened to residents concerns this time. The results we have seen so far confirms the worst fears of residents. I will be keeping in touch with highways engineers to ensure the momentum of action seen so far is maintained.”

Steps to improve the situation were taken after a young girl was involved in a collision witha car outside one of the schools. The data is now being analysed by county highways prior to recommendations being brought forward. Possible solutions will include the establishment of chicanes. Other measure already put in place are signs to stop motorists using the road as a cut through to the town centre.

A LIST of candidates has been revealed for the upcoming seats for Northamptonshire County Council.

There will be six seats in the Daventry area up for grabs.

In Daventry West: Adam Collyer (UKIP), Chris Long (Con), Luisa Pereira (Lib Dem) and Wendy Randall (Lab), are competing for votes.

For Daventry East: Alan Gordon (TUSAC), Alan Hills (Con), Eric Macanndrais (UKIP) and Ken Ritchie (Lab) are all standing for the seat.

The Braunston and Crick seat will be contested by Abigail Campbell (Lab), Steve Slatter (Con), Pamela Varnsverry (Lib Dem) and Derek Whitaker (UKIP).

For Long Buckby: Neil Farmer (Lib Dem), Chris Lee (Lab), Steve Osborne (Con), Tom Price (TUSAC) and Beverley Rundle (UKIP) will look to be elected.

The Woodford and Weedon seat is between Robin Brown (Con), Debra Parry (UKIP), Bea Price (TUSAC), Ron Pursey (Lab) and Chris Salaman (Lib Dem).

Catherine Boardman (Con), Pam Booker (UKIP), Robert McNally (Lab), Liz Pym (Lib Dem) and Steve Whiffen (Green) will contest the Brixworth seat.

There will also be elections for the Brixworth and Welford seats on Daventry District Council and an election for seats on Woodford-cumMembris Parish Council.

The elections wil take place on Thursday (May 2).

IT WILL be the last chance for people to officially record their memories of the town on Saturday and be a part of the newly refurbished museum.

Volunteers from the museum have been working with the young people at the Phoenix Centre and Daventry Photographic Society to create new materials to be shown in the new-look museum.

The final event will be held on Saturday at 54 High Street and runs from 11am to 3pm.

The new-look museum, based at the town council offices in New Street, will cost £125,000 to refurbish. No opening date has been confirmed,

One of the volunteers at the museum Luisa Perreira said: “In the last event we are going to invite as many visitors as possible so we can conclude our work with the public.”

She also thanked everyone for taking part and helping out with the project.

For more information about the project, visit www.daventrycalling.co.uk.

TWO runners from the Daventry district took part in the London Marathon on Sunday.

Donna Bethell from Byfield finished the 26.2-mile race infour hours and 11 minutes.

She said: “It went really well and had a good time and was really pleased with where I came.

“I managed to raise £2,100 for Help for Hospices, which beat my target. I saw people afterwards who said they saw me runnng the marathon and gave some money, which was amazing.”

Daventry resident, Glen Frank, who dressed as Batman, achieved a personal best time ever of four hours and seven minutes.

He is raising funds for SENSE and thanked people for sponsorship. To sponsor visit www.justgiving.com/glen-frankbatman4sense

A CHARITY football match takes place this Sunday in Daventry.

The match kicks off at 2pm on Sunday at the Mayfield Park sports ground, on Daventry’s Timken estate.

A team from the Naomi Tae Memorial Fund will play against the De Vere Staverton Park British Heart Foundation 11.

Nathan Perry, from the Naomi Tate Memorial Fund, said: “We organise our annual fundraising golf day at Staverton Park and Andrew Gibbins at the golf club came up with the idea for a football match.. It was supposed to be in November, but the weather has just been too bad.

“We’re raising money for the memorial fund and also the British Heart Foundation, which is De Vere’s charity of the year.”

There will be no admission charge, but donations will be gratefully accepted.

The allocation of primary places has demonstrated Daventry’s immediate need for a new school, say campaigners.

Figures released by Northamptonshire County Council show that of all the primary schools in Daventry only one – the Danetre and Southbrook Learning Village (DSLV) Primary and Nursery – has places left for September’s intake of starters.

Also, all of the village schools immediately surrounding Daventry – Badby, Staverton, Braunston and Welton – are also full.

Further examination shows that Badby, Braunston, Falconers Hill Infants, St James, Staverton, The Grange, and Welton, were oversubscribed, meaning some parents and pupils who put them down as a first choice did not get a place.

When schools are oversubscribed the council goes through a process to allocate the places, starting with those with special education needs and using distance as a final tie-breaker.

Tamlyn Coleman is one of the residents on Daventry’s newest estate, Middlemore, trying to get a free school.

They say that the rise in children starting primary education in Daventry means a new school is needed now, not several years down the line when the Monksmoor school might be built.

He said: “There’s no news on Middlemore school, hopefully we’re progressing through the system.

“But seeing as all schools are at capacity except Southbrook, it only helps our fight.”

Schools with places include Barby, Boddington, Brixworth, Bugbrooke, Chipping Warden, Crick, Guilsborough, Kilsby, Kislingbury, Long Buckby Infants, Newnham, DSLV, The Bliss Charity School in Nether Heyford, Weedon Bec, Woodford Halse, and Yelvertoft.

NCC said there had been a surge in the numbers of primary school-aged children. It has taken some steps to address the lack of primary school places by giving permission for some schools to expand, including Weedon Bec Primary School.

TWO men have been jailed for a combined prison sentence of more then 11 years following a series of robberies – one of which was in Daventry.

Shaun Martin, 35, from Darwin Walk, Northampton, and Daniel Bage, 29, of no fixed abode were sentenced on Monday at Norwich Crown Court for a series of robberies across Northamptonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

They raided the Tesco Express at Wimborne Place on the Ashby Fields estate on Friday, June 22 last year and The Co-op in Hunters Way, Brixworth, a month later.

The pair robbed a total of eight stores across the county including ones at Northampton, Towcester and Kettering. All of the raids took place between April and August 2012.

They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and Martin was jailed for four- and-a-half years while Bage was given aseven year sentence.

Speaking after sentencing, Detective Inspector David Giles, from Suffolk Police, said: “Today is the culmination of a lengthy police investigation over nine months and across three counties and I am pleased with the sentences handed down by the judge at court.

“The robberies had been meticulously planned and executed at stores, often in remote locations.

“Bage and Martin formed part of an organised crime group who had clearly researched their crimes and went to great lengths to carry out the robberies and secure their escape.

“For shop staff to be confronted by people threatening them while brandishing weapons must have been terrifying for them.”

SOME of the pot holes in the High Street in Daventry have been filled in by Northamptonshire County Council.

The work was carried out by contractors working for the council on Tuesday.

It follows on from a meeting held on Monday where people were warned about the state of the High Street in the town centre.

Speaking at the annual town meeting held at the offices of Daventry Town Council on Monday, Cllr Peter Luke said: “I think it will get to the stage where people will avoid the town centre because of the pot holes in the High Street and elsewhere.”

However talks were halted because the chairman, Cllr Ron Fox, considered the discussion too political.

AN ACADEMY firm which is in charge of two schools in Daventry has been warned about the poor reporting of its accounts.

E-Act, which looks after the Danetre and Southbrook Learning Village and The Parker E-Act Academy, was issued with a financial notice to improve by the Education Funding Agency. It found ‘weaknesses’ in the reporting of the accounts’ for some of its 31 schools.

An E-Act spokesman said: “Many of the required changes have already been implemented and we are confident we can address and resolve these issues by July. Our focus remains on our mission to provide excellence in education; with the continued improvement in standards across all academies.”

Campaigners opposing the HS2 high-speed rail project have accused the Government of trying to “con the taxpayer” after its total estimated cost was put at £42.65 billion.

Written answers in the House of Commons have said the final cost is £9 billion more than first estimated. The Stop HS2 campaigners say is because the Government has not included the cost of the trains. Rail minister Simon Burns said the costs for 2013-14 and 2014-15 would be £367 million and £443 million. The estimated cost for trains is £8.15 billion.

HS2 is due to go through the villages of Boddington, Chipping Warden and Aston le Walls if the proposed link is built.

Stop HS2 spokesmanJoe Rukin said: “It’s been totally disingenuous that the Government has been quoting a £33 billion cost for HS2, while neglecting to mention that trains are an extra. They have been trying to con the taxpayer from start to finish.”

TWO men have been given a prison sentence for stealing £57,000 worth of Lego from a lorry at Watford Gap Services.

Andrew Mills, 27, from Oldham Road, London and Ben Barton, 22, of Prospect Hill, London, were jailed last week for three years and 10 months respectively after they stole the Lego on February 14.

Northampton Crown Court heard Mills instigated the raid, and paid Barton £200 to be his lookout.

Judge Richard Bray said: “This was a serious offence - the theft of £57,000 of goods from the back of a lorry, in the middle of the night. This is an all-too prevalent offence in this area. It is a planned, professional crime.”

On Mills, he added: “You were caught red-handed at the scene. You had the effrontery to carry out this offence, not on a quiet road, but at Watford Gap services.

“The matter is seriously aggravated by your record. You are a professional criminal.”

The Gusher’s second fundraising event to help two-year-old Jago Worrall is unveiled.

An art and wine tasting evening is being hosted by Evergreen Art Cafe in Sheaf Street, Daventry from 7pm to 9.30pm on Thursday, June 13.

It is in support of the Daventry Express campaign to raise funds for the Jago Worrall Foundation. Jago was left with severe brain injuries after nearly drowning in an accident at his Welton home in March last year. His parents, Barney and Lyn, are looking to raise up to £200,000 to help fund his continued treatment and round-the-clock care.

Audible Fidelity, a firm based on the Long March, will also be at the event and will donate 10 per cent of the money they make selling equipment on the night. The cafe will also donate 10 per cent of the proceeds of any paintings sold that night. There will also be a raffle and a charity auction to raise funds for The Jago Worrall Foundation.

Entrance to the event is free although people are encouraged to make donations at the door.

Meanwhile, Little Kickers, which runs football classes for young children in the town, will also be raising funds for the Foundation as part of its third birthday celebrations.

At their training sessions this weekend there is a raffle with prizes including an iPad Mini, a Little Kickers birthday party and sessions and three months’ membership at Daventry Leisure Centre. Proceeds will be donated to the foundation.

The event, which will also be attended by Lenny Kicker, the Little Kickers’ mascot, is at Daventry Leisure Centre from 9am to 1pm on Saturday and Sunday.

A vicar from Welton joined others from the Daventry area in a trip to South Korea.

The Rev Chrys Tremththanmor, who is a team vicar at Daventry, was one of six people who went including the Rev Liz Cowley, from Staverton. It was led by the Bishop of Brixworth, the Rt Rev John Holbrook.

They visited the Far East country from April 5 to 15

Speaking about her experiences, Rev Tremththanmor said: “Among the things we discovered was that the various social projects run by the church gave me food for thought. I was amazed by the beauty of the traditional buildings, palaces, old churches and old temples. I was struck by the very different church culture.”

She delivered lectures to around 30 lay and clergy people as part of the diocese’s development of a lay ministry training. She visited the de-militarised zone but foundpeople were focused on getting on with life.

Rev Tremththanmor added:“They’ve had 60 years of living with North Korea just over the border. It was the much older folk who were more worried.”

Concerns have been raised that the improvements to the town’s tennis courts could end with some houses looking out onto a ‘plastic bubble’.

The scheme involves refurbishing the New Street tennis courts, extending them onto the old bowling green, and turning the pavilion into changing facilities.

The biggest part of the project is that the new courts could be covered with a large plastic dome to make them usable in all weathers.

Two weeks ago Daventry District Council’s strategy group approved the principle of the £275,000 project.

But on Monday this week residents of nearby homes voiced their concerns. At the annual town meeting Sue Yates, from Inlands Rise, said: “In the past with the skate park plans and the new play area for the children, we as residents were consulted. You will have read about the tennis courts, but we’ve not been contacted about this at all.

“Myself and the others living there are worried we’ll be looking out onto a giant plastic bubble.

“I know it’s in the very early stages of planning, but it’s in the conservation area, and the covenant on the land says no commercial activity.”

The residents were told they will be able to comment on the plans as part of the normal planning process, once a formal application has been lodged.

The Daventry area has recorded the biggest fall in incidents of anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the county.

There was a 20 per cent reduction year on year according to statistics released by Northamptonshire Police.

Between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2013, the number of incidents dropped to 2,488 from 3,103 during the corresponding period the previous year – this equates to 615 fewer incidents.

Sergeant Paul Valentine, from Daventry Rural Safer Community Team, said: “We are pleased with the significant reduction of overall anti-social behaviour incidents in Daventry and the surrounding area.”

But the Safer Community Teams working out of Daventry police station and Watford Gap police office recognise there is still much to do.

Sgt Valentine added: “Litter and fly-tipped materials give a clear impression that an area is being neglected and increase the perception that these areas are subject to other anti-social behaviour issues.”

The figures compare well to other parts of the country. At the end of March, there were 33,148 incidents of ASB, a drop of 4,470 incidents recorded during the similar period in 2011/12,

In the other rural areas of the county, East Northamptonshire and South Northamptonshire showed falls in ASB of 15 per cent, matched by the urban area of Wellingborough.

Corby and Northampton showed 11 per cent decreases but Kettering was the worst performing of the policing areas with a reduction of just one per cent.

A justice charity has called for magistrates in the county to send fewer criminals to prison.

The Howard League for Penal Reform has published figures showing that magistrates in Northamptonshire are four times more likely to hand down jail terms than courts elsewhere.

During 2011 magistrates in Northampton sentenced 11,961 cases, of which 775 (6.5 per cent) were jailed. That compares to just 1.5 per cent jailed in Warwickshire and 3.5 per cent in Leicestershire.

Looking back Northants magistrates jailed 5.7 per cent in 2001 and 4 per cent in 2006.

Magistrates cannot jail someone for more than six months for a single offence, or 12 months for two or more.

Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League, said: “A short-term prison sentence is a catastrophe for everyone. It does not help change the life of the person sentenced – indeed, it is more likely to compound issues such as drug addiction and make them more likely to reoffend.

“It costs the taxpayer a fortune and it does nothing to help victims, who get no recompense or easing of trauma.

“Community sentences are much cheaper than custody and they deliver better results. They not only address a person’s offending, but allow them to access other services they need, such as help with drink, drugs or mental health problems.”

Daventry’s new college has sought to extend its opening hours before it even opens.

The university technical college is under construction off Ashby Road and is due to open in the autumn.

When it was granted planning permission councillors agreed to restrict its operating hours to between 8.30am and 6pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5. 30pm on Fridays and nothing on weekends or holidays.

The application is to change this to Monday to Friday 8am to 10pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm. An application has also been made to extend the hours machinery can be used on site.

The proposals have caused worry among some residents, concerned about the impact of noise and traffic on the area.

Cllr Chris Long, who represents the area on DDC, said: “I regard this application to change the conditions of the planning consent as blatant opportunism with absolutely no regard for the interests of local residents, only for the benefit of the UTC and persons unlikely to be inconvenienced by the activity.

“The requested increase in operational hours from the original 47 hours a week to 74 hours (an increase of 57 percent!) without any assessment of impact to the local community cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.”

A man died after falling from a motorbike in a Northamptonshire field.

Police said a 69-year-old had the accident at about midday on Saturday in a field off Charwelton Lane, Hellidon, and was taken to University Hospital Coventry by air ambulance. It is understood he suffered a suspected broken neck.

A police spokeswoman said: “We are treating it as a very tragic accident.”